advert-body-1 by Droga5
- Location:
ESPN and Droga5 New York launched a new spot for its first brand campaign together, called ‘Smaller’ a modern remake of the 1995 Skee-Lo hit, and basketball cult anthem, “I Wish."
This 2-minute film, coinciding with the NBA Playoffs, is an homage to the killer crossovers, magician-like ballhandling, three-point shots, and acrobatic moves around the rim that define many of the leagues smaller guards, like reigning NBA champ Stephen Curry, Houston Rocket guard (and State Farm spokesman) Chris Paul, and Toronto Raptors’ guard Kyle Lowry.
Rapper Skee-Lo was enlisted to re-record his cult classic, as the video includes callbacks to the one-hit wonder's music video, but changing up his as an ode to small-ball: “I wish I was like 5-foot-9/on the three point line. It was a scandal/but really the good kind.” The talent emulates a lot of the plays and mannerisms that die-hard NBA fans hold dear, including a no-look 3-pointer where one player emulates Steph Curry's signature mouthpiece toss.
Unlike the original video, and the basketball of old, the short players are the ones picked first.
Credits
Client ESPN Campaign Life Needs Sports Title “Smaller” / “True Love”
Launch Date May 9
Agency: Droga5 NY
Creative Chairman: David Droga
Group Creative Director: Brandon Pierce
Associate Creative Director: Ben Bliss
Associate Creative Director: Evan Schultz
Copywriter: Evan Barkoff
Art Director: David Spradlin
Copywriter: Sean Buckhorn
Art Director: Gonzalo Navarro
Associate Design Director: Mark Yoon
Designer: Erin Wilson
Project Manager: Laura Rothman
Chief Creation Officer: Sally-Ann Dale
Co-Director of Film Production: Jesse Brihn
Co-Director of Film Production: Bryan Litman
Executive Producer, Film: Tricia Lentini Himot
Producer, Film: Jacob Vogt (“Smaller”)
Producer, Film: Isabella Lebovitz (“True Love”)
Music Supervisor: Mike Ladman
Music Supervisor: Jonathan Hecht
Director of Business Affairs: Jocelyn Howard
Sr. Business Affairs Manager: Kiki Powell
Sr. Producer, Interactive: Andrew Puzzuoli
Associate Producer, Interactive: Emily Blumhardt
Sr. Producer, Print: Ariel Wakasa-Gonzalez
Producer, Print: Rose Mahan
Co-Head of Strategy: Harry Roman-Torres
Strategy Director: Kevin DeStefan
Strategist: Newman Granger
Head of Communications Strategy: Colleen Leddy
Communications Strategy Director: Michael Pignone
Communications Strategist :Emily Langham
Data Strategy Director: Andrea Campbell
Data Strategist: Joshua Gordon
Group Account Director: Shane Chastang
Account Director: Marissa Guerra
Account Manager: Tori Tessalone
Legal: Zachary Werner
Client: ESPN
President, Global Sales and Marketing: Ed Erdhardt
SVP, Marketing and Consumer Engagement: Wanda Young
SVP, Marketing Solutions Sean Hanrahan
Sr Director Brand Marketing Strategy Samira Zebian
Marketing Coordinator Sarah Connors
Production Company Epoch
Director Zach Heinzerling
DOP James Laxton
Executive Producer Melissa Culligan
Producer Susan Hebert
“Smaller”
Editorial Cabin Edit
Editor Graham Turner
Assistant Editor Alex Doyle, Connie Chuang
Managing Partner Carr Schilling
Producer Liz Lydecker
“True Love”
Editorial Second Child
Editor Nick Ljubicich
Assistant Editor Martin Keating
Executive Producer Scott Chinn
Producer Francess Tom-Sahr
“Smaller”
Post Production: The Mill
Executive Producer: Chris Kiser
Senior Producer: Freya Hewett
Associate Producer: Michael Brown
2D Lead: Jeff Robins
2D Artists: Antoine Douadi, Rachel Moon, Eric Sibley, Dan Bowhers, Gabriel Kim, Ari Garber
Design Lead: Juan Monasterio Telecine Fergus McCall
“True Love” Post Production
Second Child
Producer: Francess Tom-Sahr
Telecine: Lenny Mastrandrea @Nice Shoes
Sound: "True Love”
Song LOVE
Artist Kendrick Lamar ft. Zacari
Sound “Smaller” Heard City
Mixer Keith Reynald
Producer Andi Lewis “True Love”
Second Child Mixer Eric Milano
